Fairhaven house haunters make it to the small screen

Three of Fairhaven's favorite Halloween haunts are coming to a television near you, profiled in a new documentary that will be aired on Chiller TV on Oct. 28.

"The American Scream," directed by Michael Paul Stephenson, follows Fairhaven residents Victor Bariteau, Manny Souza, and Matthew and Richard Brodeur as they set up haunted houses in their homes. Or, as Chiller TV has been promoting the movie, as they "take screams to extremes."

Bariteau said he applied to a casting call for the documentary put out by NBC Universal.

More than 600 house haunters from across America answered the call, but after making a shortlist and visiting various New England haunts, Stephenson chose Fairhaven's three residents.

"I was number 13 on the list of visits," Bariteau said. "I guess it's my lucky number, which makes a lot of sense."

It makes a lot of sense because Bariteau is "Halloween obsessed."

It all started when Bariteau was a young boy. He said his mother was a very religious Christian who would not allow her children to celebrate Halloween.

"There were trick-or-treaters on my street, and all I could do was watch from the window every year," he said. "If that didn't happen, I wouldn't be the way I am now. Now, I'm making up for lost time."

The documentary follows Bariteau, Brodeur and Souza as they prepared for last year's Halloween.

The film has already gained critical acclaim and won an award for Best Picture in the Documentary Category when it premiered at Fantastic Fest 2012 in Texas this fall.

Bariteau went to the film festival, where he saw the documentary for the first time.

"I expected them to show a lot about how we make the scares," he said. "But it turns out it's really a movie about people coming together."

Matthew Brodeur, who lives just more than a mile from Bariteau, said he and father Richard have been haunting their house since 2003 in order to raise money for Shriners Hospital, where they both volunteer as clowns during the year.

"We don't have any scary clowns in our yard for that reason," he said. "It's not good for business."

Brodeur said he and his father originally tried using Christmas to raise money for the hospital by creatively lighting their homes, but "Halloween is a lot more popular and a lot more fun."

Bariteau agreed, saying Halloween has a unique ability to bring people together. Since filming the movie, he lost his job as an IT guy, and started his own haunted house business, Ghoulie Manor, at the Silver City Galleria in Taunton.

"We've had so many friends come hang out on the weekends to help set up and make props," he said. "If I was starting a landscaping business, no one would want to be doing that."

There will be a special advance screening of "The American Scream" at Hastings Middle School at 7 p.m. this Wednesday.

Brodeur said he hoped the screening will raise awareness of his haunted house so he can raise more money for the hospital.

"I'm pretty proud of what we've done, and I want people to come support us and enjoy themselves," he said.

For Bariteau, there is enjoyment for him, as well.

"There's joy in seeing horror in someone else's face," he said, adding quickly "provided it's done safely and in good fun, of course."